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UNITED STATES PATENT OFF CE.

JOSEPH J. SACHS, OF WOODLANDS, SUNBURY-ON-THAMES, COUNTY OF MIDDLESEX, ENGLAND.

PROCESS OF PRODUCING PRINTING AND OTHER SURFACES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 247,418, dated September 20, 1881.

Application filed April 18, 1881. (No specimens.) Patented in England January 21, 1881.

bossing, and other like Purposes, (for which I have obtained a Patent in Great Britain, No.

266, dated January 21,1881,) of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to the production of surfaces for printing, stamping, milling, or embossing, and other like purposes.

In carrying out this invention I proceed in the following manner: In the first instance a fac-simile is produced by the action of light upon a layer of chrorne-gelatine, or its equivalent, covering paper or other flexible material, in any of the well-known ways by the aid of an optical lens or by superposition, or by other suitable means. The fac-simile (positive or negative) thus produced is covered with a solution of wax and asphaltum, or their equivalentsin benzine, turpentine, or other volatile solvents. After the solvent has evaporated the material bearing the chrome-gelatine layer or its equivalent and wax-asphaltum layer or its equivalent is immersed in tepid water for a suflicient length of time, until the parts on which the light had not acted are raised above the level of those parts acted upon by light. By this action the wax-asphaltum layer or its equivalent is also raised above the level of those parts acted upon by light, and lies loosely on the top of the raised parts, and is easily removed by means of a wet sponge or brush, while in the places upon which the light had acted it adheres tightly to the chrome-gelatine layer or its equivalent. After this is effected I place the flexible material upon the surface to be etched with the wax-asphaltum or equivalent layer next thereto, and by pressure I cause it to adhere to it, after which the object bearing the surface with theflexible material and its layers adhering to it is introduced into a suitable etching-bath, and kept in it while preferably in motion, and connected or not with a galvanic current for a sufficient length of time until the etching is sufficiently deep. The flexible material may also be removed and separated froinits layers, which remain upon the surface before etching it; buttlle design in that case will be less distinct and clear than when the flexible material remains with its layers on the surface in the etching-bath, as it is very difficultto remove the flexible material without spoiling thelevelof the layers: Animportant feature, therefore, ofthepresent improvements consists in etching through the paper or flexible material, as hereinbefore described.

As an etching-liquid I usefor example, for copper-a solution ofiron perchloride in water; but any other suitable compound may be substituted therefor. This method may be modilied to a great extent. For example, in order to obtain, in a pin-engraving from objects consisting of lines and full shades, I first produce a fac-simile of dots all over the sensitive layer by the action of light, and then I produce on the same layer (bearing the facsimile of dots) the fac-simile of the object, consisting only of lines and full shades, by the action of light, and afterward cover the sensitive layer with the wax-asphaltum solution or its equivalent; then immerse in tepid water, remove the raised parts of the wax-asphaltum layer or its equivalent, press to the surface, and etch, substantially as hereinbefore described.

In order to obtain half-shades in pin-engraving, showingthe half-shades at adistance, I lay the wet material (with the layers containing the facsimile of the object in half-tones produced by the action of light covered with the layer of wax and asphaltum or equivalent, and raised by the action of tepid waterin the places where the light could not act, or only to a less degree) quite level on a smooth surface-say, of glasswith the raised facsimile on the top, and then Ipress a brush-like instrument with tapered points very gently against the raised parts of the fac-simile, so that the raised parts are punctured with holes of a size varying according to the height of the elevated portions, as the deeper the tapered pin-points can enter the wider the holes will become. Care should be taken that the unraised parts may not be from objects with half-shades if a powder is mixed with the solution of chrome-gelatine or its equivalentas, for example, that of resin the flexible material or paper being then covered with that compound, dried, and a facsimile produced by action of light, then covered with the wax-asphaltum or equivalent solution, treated with tepid water, sponged or brushed, fixed to the surface, and the latter etched, substantially as hereinbefore described.

In order to print a pattern with different colors, I produce a facsimile of all parts in the design which bear the same color on one sheet of the material with the sensitive layer, and do the same with each color on a separate sheet, and etch from each sheet into a separate surface, taking care to place them in their proper places, so that the colors may register afterward in printing. The fac-similes can be either negative or positive, whereby, of course, reverse effects are obtained. These methods of producing different colors may be modified to a great extentas, for example, by blocking out the colors in the transparencies or on the sensitive layer with wax, asphaltum, or its equivalent, and in many other ways.

This process of etching can be applied in the manner hereinbefore described to pentagraphplates, and to any shape of surfacelevel or curved-and to plates or rollers, as will readily be understood from the explanations given above.

I also produce a sketch, drawing, design, or print on a suitable flexible material with a solution of wax and asphaltum or its equivalent, moisten the material afterward slightly, and attach it to a surface to be etched with the sketch next thereto, cause it to adhere by the application of pressure, and introduce the surface with the sketch and flexible material thereon into a suitable etching bath. This method can also be modified in many ways.

I am aware of Morvans British Patent No. 71 of 1867 and therefore do not desire to claim the methods or processes therein described; but

I claim as my invention 1. The mode herein described of producing surfaces for printing, stamping, or embossing, said mode consisting in first producing a design in wax and asphaltum, or equivalent, on paper or other flexible material, then causing this to adhere to the surface to be etched with the designed surface next to the latter, and finally etching the plate through the paper or other, flexible material, all substantially as set forth.

2. The mode herein described of producing surfaces for printing, stamping, or embossing, said mode consisting in first printing the design by photography on a sensitized gelatine layer on paper or equivalent material, then covering this surface with wax and asphaltum or equivalent, swelling the portions of the gelatine not acted upon by light, removing the wax-asphaltum layer from such swelled portions, and then causing the material with the prepared surface to adhere to the plate to be etched, and etching the latter through thepaper or equivalent material, all substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

' JOSEPH JULIUS SACHS.

Witnesses:

WM. JOHN WEEKS,

3L Lombard Street,

CHAS. MILLS,

47 Lincolns Inn Fields, London. 

